THE QUEEN’S SOUTH AFRICA MEDAL AWARDED TO PRIVATE W. MURPHY, 1ST AND 2ND BATTALIONS ROYAL

THE QUEEN’S SOUTH AFRICA MEDAL AWARDED TO PRIVATE W. MURPHY, 1ST AND 2ND BATTALIONS ROYAL INNISKILLING FUSILERS, INVALIDED FROM SOUTH AFRICA TO ENGLAND IN 1900. Queen’s South Africa Medal, type II (ghost dates clearly visible on reverse), 3 clasps, Cape Colony, Tugela Heights, Relief of Ladysmith (officially impressed: 2462 Pte. W. MURPHY, 1st. RL. INNIS: FUS:). Attractively toned, extremely fine.

Medal accompanied by 5 pages copied service papers, copied extract from medal roll, which confirms medal and clasps and that Private Murphy was invalided to England.

Service papers confirm that William Murphy was born in the parish of Killyman, Dungannon, Co. Tyrone. He enlisted into the Inniskilling Fusiliers on 15/3/1888. At the time of enlistment he stated that he was 19 years and 6 months old, stood some 5 feet 10.5 inches tall, gave his trade as farm labourer, and confirmed that he had previously seen service with C Brigade, North Irish Division, Royal Artillery. On enlistment, Murphy was posted for service as a Private with the 2nd Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. Murphy never rose above the rank of Private and was transferred to the Army Reserve on 6/12/1895. Following the outbreak of the Boer War, Murphy was recalled to active service on 9/10/1899, being posted for service with the 1st Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers with the rank of Private, on 19/10/1899. Murphy never rose above the rank of Private after being recalled and was invalided from South Africa in 1900 (service papers confirm Murphy as having been invalided in November 1900, landing back in the UK on 23/11/1900). He was discharged from the army on 14/3/1901, on the termination of his period of engagement. In addition to service at home, Murphy saw service in India for 6 years and 356 days with the 2nd Inniskillings, 1888 – 94, and in South Africa for 1 year and 19 days with the 1st Inniskillings, 5/11/1899 – 23/11/1900. Service papers give Murphy’s next of kin as his sister, Mary Anne Murphy, Bush Post Office, Fallaghearn, Coalisland, Co. Tyrone.